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CDOT plans flashing pedestrian signal following death at Keystone crosswalk

Caddie Nath
Summit Daily News
Special to the Daily One of a number of options for improving safety in the crosswalk at Rasor Dr. and Hwy. 6 in Keystone is a set of flashing yellow lights activated automatically when pedestrians are detected.
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BRECKENRIDGE – The Colorado Department of Transportation is on track to install a flashing pedestrian signal this summer to improve the visibility of a crosswalk near Keystone where a man was struck and killed by a car Saturday.

The signal – a crossbar, similar to those used to mount traffic lights, equipped with signs and flashing lights – may only be an interim solution while CDOT, the county and local residents discuss more extensive safety improvements for the area.

A sensor will activate the flashing lights on the signal when people are nearby, rather than a push button, which officials worry could lure pedestrians into thinking they can don’t have to be as careful crossing the highway.



“The county’s concern is that it gives the pedestrian a false sense of security,” CDOT engineer Grant Anderson said. “We want to avoid that, but we have to do something. So I thought our proposal was a good middle ground, improving the visibility of the whole crossing using these overhead mast arms.”

The signal will cost $75,000-$100,000 and may be installed by mid-June, according to CDOT officials.



Mircea Basaram, a 33-year-old from Romania, was hit while in the crosswalk at Highway 6 at Rasor Drive Saturday evening and later died from his injuries at a hospital in Lakewood. The driver of the vehicle that hit him, Wesley Wilson, 20, may face charges of vehicular homicide and DUI.

CDOT and the county had been considering various improvements to the crosswalk for a few months before last weekend’s accident due to local residents’ complaints that the area is unsafe.

Suggested alternatives to the crossbar signal include a traffic light, push-button signal and walkways over bridges or under tunnels, but each comes with nearly as many cons as pros, officials said.

“There’s probably many different ways to look at this,” Anderson said. “We’re not necessarily trying to preclude anything right now. My goal would be trying to get something done to buy us some time to see what else we can do.”

To figure out a long-term solution, the county is talking about bringing together stakeholders and members of the public to discuss the options.

“My suggestion would be that CDOT convenes a group of people,” assistant county manager Thad Noll said. “Let’s get them in the same room and all talk about the pros and cons of all these various options.”


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